On the way: Ibanez Tenor guitar

Captain Simian

Captain Simian

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Long story short-This morning I stumbled across an early 80's Fender Super Champ at a yard sale dirt cheap. Took it home, replaced a dead 6V6, then traded her in at Guitar Center for one of the new Ibanez AVT1NT tenor guitars. They didn't have it in stock so they ordered it and I should have it by Friday. I've started to miss the sound of steel strings but had no desire to get a full size guitar. Not sure if I'll keep her in C-G-D-A, G-D-A-E, or D-G-B-E. Here are the specs:

Parlor 2 body
Solid Sitka spruce top
Mahogany neck (satin finish), back and sides
22.8" scale (580mm)
Bone nut and saddle
Rosewood fingerboard
Rosewood bridge
Black and white multi rosette
Chrome Open Gear tuners with pearl buttons
Natural high gloss finish

IBAAVT1NT-2.jpg


And it just occurred to me that I need to figure out where I can find a simple gig bag for her. Anyone know where to find one?
 
I was jonesing for a guitar and picked up one of those Ibanez AVT1 this week. Great instrument for the price. I decided to stay with 4-strings or else a GS Mini might have been my choice.

I tune mine Chicago style (DGBE) like a baritone, rather than standard tuning in 5ths.

I got a Musician's Gear 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar Gig Bag from Musician's Friend, it a good bag but it is too big.

However, it was only $15 shipped and works OK.
 
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How was the setup out of the box?

I'm wondering now if a 1/2 size bag will fit it.
 
Congrats, I got one back in December and love it. I stayed with the standard CGDA tuning for about a month, just to check it out, but ultimately went with DBGE. Here is a string gauge chart, if you need it, that is helpful in tuning and string gauge choices. I went with "light" although I could not find an exact set to match Ry's set recommendation. http://rycooder.nl/pages/tenor_gauges.htm
 
Captain Simian said:
How was the setup out of the box?

I'm wondering now if a 1/2 size bag will fit it.
Click to expand...

The setup wasn't bad right out of the box, very playable. But I might lower it a tad.

Hmm. I don't know about the 1/2 size bag, but it might be worth a try. The 3/4 size was too big.

hammer40 said:
Congrats, I got one back in December and love it. I stayed with the standard CGDA tuning for about a month, just to check it out, but ultimately went with DBGE. Here is a string gauge chart, if you need it, that is helpful in tuning and string gauge choices. I went with "light" although I could not find an exact set to match Ry's set recommendation. http://rycooder.nl/pages/tenor_gauges.htm
Click to expand...

I went with the 'light' strings, too.
 
hammer40 said:
Congrats, I got one back in December and love it. I stayed with the standard CGDA tuning for about a month, just to check it out, but ultimately went with DBGE. Here is a string gauge chart, if you need it, that is helpful in tuning and string gauge choices. I went with "light" although I could not find an exact set to match Ry's set recommendation. http://rycooder.nl/pages/tenor_gauges.htm
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was wondering about string gauges if I decided to switch tuning. What's the tension like with the light set up? Does it feel pretty firm or can you bend strings easily? I like a firmer tension since I strum or fingerpick.
 
Captain Simian said:
Thanks, I was wondering about string gauges if I decided to switch tuning. What's the tension like with the light set up? Does it feel pretty firm or can you bend strings easily? I like a firmer tension since I strum or fingerpick.
Click to expand...

I finger pick and strum and like a firmer tension as well. I think these are a really good tension, not to firm not to soft. The set I'm using are these, Curt Mangan 13-56 fusion matched phosphor bronze. A newer company out of Colorado, but a lot of nice things being said about them, I agree. Of course with strings, it's all subjective.

http://www.stringsandbeyond.com/cumafumaphbr.html.
 
I have Mangan's on some weird West German soprano hanging on the wall so I'm familiar with the company. I may give those a shot.

For those who switched from CGDA to DGBE, why?
 
Captain Simian said:
For those who switched from CGDA to DGBE, why?
Click to expand...

Coming from the baritone uke I already knew the chords, so the transition to the TG was easy. I also preferred the sound, the DGBE tuning is very acoustic guitar like, and that was the sound I was after. If I ever transition to an acoustic guitar, I would probably go back to fifths tuning on the TG for that different sound. Fifth's tuning is interesting, sounded kind of "harpsichord" like to me, and there are some easy two finger chords to get started. Since it will arrive in fifth's, it's a good opportunity to try the different tuning.
 
I know nothing about playing anything in 5ths. So I went with DGBE from the getgo.
 
Doc_J said:
It is a lot fun. I play it just like uke, without a pick.
Click to expand...

I do the same, I play without a pick, just like the uke. I have tried the pick, but never having used one I can see that it's going to take a lot of practice to get that right. Darn thing just won't stay still in my fingers.
 
Got it today! I may have fake an illness to skip out of work this afternoon to go pick her up. I may have also traded in a couple of cymbals and an old Rogers snare for a Seagull Merlin.

It looks like mine came strung up for DGBE. When I tried to tune her CGDA or GDAE the tension was too low or I could bring some strings up to the correct pitch without fear of breaking it. I imagine I'll keep her in G for awhile since I think the Merlin will satisfy my urge for a different tuning for now.
 
I've been curious about these as well... How do you all find the narrow nut? When I tried to move up to guitalele I found changing the nut size so drastically to be a difficult transition. I know that this will be in the opposite direction, but it's still a concern... I do like the idea of playing with some steel strings, though.
 
mattydee said:
I've been curious about these as well... How do you all find the narrow nut? When I tried to move up to guitalele I found changing the nut size so drastically to be a difficult transition. I know that this will be in the opposite direction, but it's still a concern... I do like the idea of playing with some steel strings, though.
Click to expand...

The narrower nut takes just a little getting used to. But I play soprano-baritone, so width changes seem normal. I hold the neck more slanted upward than a uke to widen the string spacing for fingerstyle playing.
 
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While doing some spring cleaning this weekend I came across a very basic Fender gig bag. It's for an electric guitar but after setting it down next to my tenor it appeared that it might fit and sure enough it did. Not snug but not a lot of unused space either.
 
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